– How did Dexter Morgan become the skilled serial killer he is today? We’ll find out in the fall when Showtime releases a 12-episode, animated prequel Webisode series that explores Dexter’s early years. Star Michael C. Hall will provide Dexter’s voice in the ‘toons.

– Holt McCallany, who viewers may remember from CSI: Miami and a slew of TV guest gigs, is starring in an FX pilot called Lights Out, about a pro boxer who has to figure out how to support his family when his fight career is done. The Office‘s Melora Hardin plays his wife and In Treatment and Law & Order: Criminal Intent producer Warren Leight will produce and serve as showrunner if the series is picked up by FX.

– Warner Bros. and Fox have decided to pull the plug early on their planned eight-week test of the syndicated series Beyond Twisted, sort of the real-people version of TMZ. Can’t say I’m sad … the show knocked off midnight reruns of Scrubs, the perfect bedtime viewing, in NYC.

– Shocked about that you-know-what of you-know-who in last night’s part four of the Torchwood: Children of Earth miniseries? Series creator Russell Daviesexplains the storyline at EW.com. The miniseries concludes tonight on BBC America, and there’s more heartbreak ahead …

– They just won’t go away quietly: Spencer and Heidi are apparently writing a book called How to Be Famous. How to Be Infamous would be more accurate, and How to Make America Want to Collectively Stab Itself in the Eye Everytime It Sees You on TV would be the perfect title.

– And which will be the better battle: The Real Housewives of New Jersey – minus DanielleStaub – dishing about themselves and each other in a live event or NJ HousewivesCarolineManzo and Teresa Giudice“debating”Real Housewives of New York CityJillZarin and Alex McCord? Without Danielle, I’d say the first one is kinda pointless, and because spending hard-earned cash on either event should be an embarrassment, I’m not telling whether or not I’ll be buying tickets later today.

– And this weekend in primetime:

FRIDAY
– In case you’ve been watching, NBC’s lame duck reality series Chopping Block wraps its season at 8PM ET
– Sugar Ray Leonard tries to win some charity bucks on AreYou Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (8PM, Fox)
– On a new Degrassi: The Next Generation (8PM, The N), Mia considers dropping out of school to model full time
– Conan’s pal Andy Richter guest voices on The Goode Family (8:30PM, ABC)
– Torchwood: Children of Earth concludes tonight on BBC America (9PM)
– Cesar works with a Doberman named Baby Girl on Dog Whisperer (9PM, NGC)
– The What Not to Wear crew has its work cut out for it when the makeover-ee is a Renaissance Faire fan (9PM, TLC)
– The crew of the Steve Irwin is surrounded by harpoon ships on Whale Wars (9PM, Animal Planet)
– Fox gets Mental at 9PM
– Poltergeists in Eureka (9PM, SyFy)? Could be
– How are scooters made? See how on How It’s Made (9PM, Science Channel)
– Say yes to Say Yes to the Dress on TLC (10PM)
– On the fun new Science Channel series Catch It Keep It (10PM), the team that successfully protects a 100-gallon aquarium from a simulated hurricane wins a trip to Costa Rica
– Singer Rob Thomas is among the guests on Real Time with Bill Maher (10PM, HBO)

SATURDAY
– At 2PM ET, the G4 network broadcasts live from the Star Wars panel at San Diego Comic Con–G4 continues with three hours of live Comic Con coverage at 4PM
– Is it the best Marx Brothers movie of all time? Tough call between Duck Soup and the classic stateroom scene (“Make that three hard-boiled eggs”) in A Night at the Opera, which airs on TCM (8PM)
– Fuse Presents Kanye West: Live From the Chicago Theater (8PM)
– Animal Planet has the 2009 Animal Planet Dog Championships (8PM)
– Silas is alive! In the Kings season finale (8PM, NBC)
– BBC America has the Primeval series finale (8PM)
– The Incredible Hulk movie – the good one, with Edward Norton – is on HBO (8PM)
– This weekend’s cheesy SyFy thriller: Malibu Shark Attack (9PM)
– John Schneider guests on Dirty Sexy Money (10PM, ABC)
– On the premiere of Alone in the Wild (10PM, NGC), adventurer Ed Wardle takes off for three months in the Canadian wilderness with nothing but a knife, a cooking pot, the clothes he’s wearing and a video camera

SUNDAY
– The bakers cook up Sesame Street cakes, in honor of the show’s 40th anniversary, on FoodNetwork Challenge (8PM)
– Nominations for the next eviction are revealed on Big Brother 11 (8PM, CBS)
– Daisy plucks a luv-ah on the season finale on Daisy of Love (9PM, VH1)
– Whatever happened to The Beek? Dawson’s Creek star James van der Beek stars in the weather-themed miniseries The Storm on NBC (9PM)
– Chuck Woolery and Rosie O’Donnell guest star on Drop Dead Diva (9PM, Lifetime)
– Sookie and Hugo look for Godric on True Blood (9PM, HBO)
– Eames and Nichols investigate the murder of a drug dealer on Law & Order: Criminal Intent (9PM, USA)
– Back-to-back new episodes of Gene Simmons Family Jewels on A&E (9 and 9:30PM)
– On Ice Road Truckers (9PM, History), it’s near the end of the season, which puts extra pressure on the drivers to deliver as many loads as possible
– The finalists prepare goodies for a Julie & Julia party on Next Food Network Star (9PM)
– One bride gets in a car chase on Bridezillas (9PM, WE)
– Back-to-back new episodes of Pawn Stars on History Channel (10 and 10:30PM)
– Back-to-back new episodes of Hammertime on A&E (10 and 10:30PM)
– New In Plain Sight on USA (10PM)
– Can’t wait to see the chandelier cake on Amazing Wedding Cakes (10PM, WE)
– On Hung (10PM, HBO), Ray’s mental health day is bad for business
– It’s Joan vs. Evan in a war games event on Army Wives (10PM, Lifetime)
– The Skyjacker That Got Away (10PM, NGC) examines the case of the only unsolved FBI skyjacking case
– Jesse’s in a serious accident on Jesse James Is a Dead Man (10PM, Spike)
– On Entourage (10:30, HBO), E is worried about Charlie’s TV show and Turtle turns to Ari for career advice
– And Denise hosts a cancer fund raiser in honor of her mom on Denise Richards: It’s Complicated (10:30PM, E!)

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